under (a/the) strain
idiom
: having to do too much, dealing with a difficult problem, etc.
She has been under (a lot of) strain lately.
He is holding up under the strain.
He cracked/collapsed/buckled under the strain.
Examples of under (a/the) strain in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With over 150,000 prisoners—more than half in minimum and low-security facilities spread across 120 complexes nationwide—the BOP is already under strain.
—
Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
By now, in the TikTok-teen era (vlogging Kayla was a little ahead of her time), the feedback-loop premise of Handy’s history shows signs of being under strain.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
Allowing more customers to sign up risks exacerbating the issues if the capacity remains under strain.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 May 2025
Today, that achievement is coming under strain as never before.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for under (a/the) strain
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Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 6 June 2025
By now, in the TikTok-teen era (vlogging Kayla was a little ahead of her time), the feedback-loop premise of Handy’s history shows signs of being under strain.
—Hillary Kelly, The Atlantic, 6 June 2025
Allowing more customers to sign up risks exacerbating the issues if the capacity remains under strain.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 May 2025
Today, that achievement is coming under strain as never before.
—Ned Temko, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for under (a/the) strain
Cite this Entry
“Under (a/the) strain.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20%28a%2Fthe%29%20strain. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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